Judge approves Ferguson, Justice Department settlement

A federal judge has approved an agreement between the city of Ferguson and the U.S. Justice Department aimed at improving policing and courts in the St. Louis suburb where Michael Brown was killed.

U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry issued her ruling Tuesday after a public hearing of several hours in St. Louis. More than two dozen people spoke, and many others submitted written comments.

Ferguson has been under scrutiny since 18-year-old Brown was fatally shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in 2014.

Some went before the judge and said they felt little has changed since the death of Brown. Sarah Glenn was arrested during the demonstrations and said she doesn't trust the City of Ferguson to abide by the consent decree.

"I think one of the key elements is the civilians review board should have subpoena power, shouldn't have to leave it up to police to decide what evidence they want to share because they're going to lie to protect themselves," Glenn said.

An attorney of the Department of Justice says said that although people may agree or disagree with the ruling, everyone seems to agree that something needed to be done.

"Fixing the problem in Ferguson, will allow Ferguson, we hope, to become a leader and provide a way forward for other municipalities to bring their policing and court practices in line with the constitution," Tony Rother, with the ACLU, said.

The consent decree will take effect immediately. It will be in effect until Ferguson has achieved full compliance and maintained that for two years.A grand jury and the Justice Department cleared Wilson. But a separate Justice Department investigation found racial bias and profiling in Ferguson's criminal justice system, prompting the settlement.